JP2006246074A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of components, while assuring thinning regarding an imaging device which captures an object, and generates image signals. <P>SOLUTION: The device is provided with an LCD unit 17; a key unit 16 which is prepared on the same plane, in which the LCD unit is arranged, and a plurality of operation keys are arranged; a flexible substrate 18, which has detection switches which detect operation of the key unit and expands in the key unit back plane; and a pressing plate 19, which presses the LCD unit 17 and also serves as a backing for the flexible substrate 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus such as a digital camera that captures a subject and generates an image signal.

  In recent years, digital cameras of a type that include image sensors and generate image data are rapidly spreading in place of cameras that take photographs on each photographic film.

  In this digital camera, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) unit for displaying images is usually arranged on the back of the camera, and a key unit in which a plurality of operation keys are arranged adjacent to the LCD unit on the back is provided. Has been placed.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the LCD unit and key unit portions of a conventional digital camera.

  Various operation keys mounted on the LCD window 341 and the key unit 36, which are openings for visually recognizing images displayed on the LCD unit 35, are slightly protruded from the rear cover 34 constituting the rear surface of the camera. A plurality of openings 342 are formed. Although the LCD window 341 is covered with a protective cover made of a transparent glass plate or the like, the illustration is omitted here.

  The LCD unit 35 is disposed inside the LCD window 341, an LCD pressing plate 37 is disposed on the rear surface thereof, and the LCD pressing plate 37 is screwed to the rear cover 34 to fix the LCD unit 35. The LCD pressing plate 37 is formed by sheet metal processing.

  A flexible substrate (FPC) 38 on which detection switches for detecting the operation of various operation keys mounted on the key unit 36 are mounted is arranged on the back side of the key unit 36, and further on the back side of the FPC 38. The backing plate 39 is applied and screwed, and the key unit 36 and the FPC 38 are pressed toward the rear cover 34 while maintaining the positional relationship.

  In the case of the configuration of FIG. 4, the assembly parts on the LCD unit 35 side and the assembly parts on the key unit 36 side are configured separately, and there is a problem that the number of parts is large and assembly takes time.

Patent Document 1 shows a structure in which an operation board and an LCD unit are held by a single sheet metal part. However, in this structure, a thick object such as a substrate is further held by a sheet metal, and the camera occupies a space corresponding to the total thickness of the substrate thickness and the sheet metal part for pressing. This is contrary to the demand for thinning.
JP 2002-212456 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus having an assembly structure in which the number of parts is reduced while ensuring a reduction in thickness.

The imaging device of the present invention that achieves the above object is an imaging device that captures a subject and generates an image signal.
An image display unit for displaying an image based on the image signal;
A key unit with a plurality of operation keys arranged on the same surface as the image display unit;
A flexible circuit board that has a detection switch that detects the operation of the key unit.
A pressing plate that holds the image display unit and also serves as a backing for the flexible substrate is provided.

  Here, in the photographing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the pressing plate is formed by sheet metal processing.

  In the photographing apparatus of the present invention, the image display unit is typically a liquid crystal display unit that has a liquid crystal and displays an image by changing the alignment of the liquid crystal.

  According to the present invention described above, since the backing plate of the flexible substrate is reduced and the single pressing plate that is also used as the LCD pressing plate is employed, the thickness can be reduced and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a digital camera as an embodiment of the present invention, with the front and rear surfaces viewed obliquely from above.

  On the front surface of the digital camera 10, there is shown a lens barrel 100 in the extended state protruding from the camera body. This lens barrel 100 has a retracted state shown in FIG. 1 and a retracted state in which the tube length is contracted more than the tube length in the extended state and accommodated in the camera body.

  In addition, the lens barrel 100 is provided with a photographing lens 200 including a zoom lens having a variable focal length. Further, a flash light emitting unit 11 that emits flash light at the time of shooting is provided on the front surface of the digital camera 10, and a shutter button 12 that provides a shooting instruction to the digital camera 10 is provided on the upper surface of the digital camera 10. Yes.

  2 is a T / W (tele / wide) switching lever 21, a shooting / playback switching button 22, a function button 23, a four-way key 24, an OK key 25, and a DISP / Various operation keys including a BACK key 26 and an LCD unit 27 for screen display are arranged.

  The outer surface of the digital camera 10 is roughly divided into a front cover 13 (see FIG. 1) and a rear cover (see FIG. 2). The rear cover 14 has parts corresponding to the various operation keys and the LCD 27 described above. Openings are formed, and various operation keys are arranged inside the camera so as to slightly protrude from each opening. The LCD unit 27 has a surface covered with a protective cover such as a transparent glass plate, and the LCD unit 27 itself is disposed inside the camera.

The various operation keys are provided on a key unit arranged inside the camera, the key unit is arranged inside the rear cover 14, and each operation key projects from the opening to the back.
The T / W switching lever 21 is a lever for switching the focal length of the photographing lens, and the photographing / reproducing switching button 22 switches the mode of the digital camera 10 between the photographing mode and the reproducing mode each time it is pressed. It is a button for.

  Further, when the function button 23 is pressed, a menu is displayed on the LCD unit 27. Thereafter, the menu is switched with the left and right buttons of the four-way key 24, and any item in the menu is selected with the up and down buttons of the four-way key 24, and the OK button 25 is pressed to set the selected item. By this operation, for example, ISO sensitivity, presence / absence of flash emission, and other various items in the shooting mode or playback mode are set.

  Further, the DISP / BACK key 26 sequentially switches the display mode of images displayed on the LCD unit 27 in the playback mode (displaying only one image / displaying a plurality of thumbnail images side by side) or displaying images, for example. This key is pressed when returning to the previous screen.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of portions of the LCD unit and the key unit of the digital camera shown in FIGS.

  Various operation keys mounted on the LCD window 141 and the key unit 16 which are openings for visually recognizing images displayed on the LCD unit 17 are slightly projected on the rear cover 14 constituting the rear surface of the camera. A plurality of openings 142 are formed. Note that the outside of the LCD window 141 is covered with a protective cover made of a transparent glass plate or the like, but is not shown here.

  The LCD unit 17 is disposed inside the LCD window 141, and the key unit 16 is disposed at a position where each operation key mounted on the key unit 16 is fitted into each opening. Further, a flexible substrate (FPC) 18 on which a detection switch for detecting the operation of various operation keys 18 mounted on the key unit 16 is disposed on the back side of the key unit 16.

  On the back surface of the LCD unit 17 and the back surface of the FPC 18, a single pressing plate 19 that is used for both of them is arranged, and the pressing plate 19 is screwed, so that the LCD unit 17, the key unit 16 and the FPC 18 are Each is fixed at a predetermined position. Here, the pressing plate 19 is formed by sheet metal processing.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, since the backing plate of the FPC 18 is eliminated and the key unit 16 and the FPC 18 are pressed together with the LCD unit 17 by the pressing plate 19, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps are reduced while ensuring the thinning. Is done.

It is the perspective view which showed the front surface of the digital camera as one Embodiment of this invention seeing from diagonally upward. It is the perspective view which showed the back of the digital camera as one Embodiment of this invention seeing from diagonally upward. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an LCD unit and a key unit portion of the digital camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is a disassembled perspective view of the part of the LCD unit and key unit of the conventional digital camera.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Digital camera 11 Flash light emission part 12 Shutter button 13 Front cover 14 Rear cover 16 Key unit 17 LCD unit 18 Various operation keys 19 Holding plate 141 LCD window 142 Opening

Claims (3)

In an imaging device that captures an object and generates an image signal,
An image display unit for displaying an image based on the image signal;
A key unit arranged on the same surface as the image display unit, on which a plurality of operation keys are arranged;
A flexible board provided on the back of the key unit, in which a detection switch for detecting the operation of the key unit is provided;
An imaging apparatus comprising: a pressing plate that presses the image display unit and also serves as a backing for the flexible substrate.   The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing plate is formed by sheet metal processing.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display unit is a liquid crystal display unit that includes liquid crystal and displays an image by changing the alignment of the liquid crystal.

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